David Robinson dunks on James Madison during his senior season. Robinson will be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in September.

April 6, 2009

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. -- The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame has announced that 1987 Naval Academy graduate David Robinson will be inducted into its Hall of Fame, joining John Stockton, Michael Jordan, Jerry Sloan and C. Vivian Stringer as members of the class. The 2009 induction ceremony will mark the 50th anniversary for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Robinson was elected in his first year of consideration into the Hall of Fame.

Robinson becomes the second Navy individual to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, as former coach Ben Carnevale was enshrined in 1970.

To be elected, finalists need 18 of 24 votes from the Honors Committee for election into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The Class of 2009 will be enshrined during festivities in Springfield, Mass., on September 10-12, 2009. Ticket packages to the 2009 Enshrinement Gala and all Enshrinement Weekend Events are on-sale now and available by calling the Hall of Fame at (413) 781-6500. Additional Enshrinement Weekend information can also be found at www.hoophall.com.

He came to Annapolis as a skinny 6-5 freshman from Woodbridge, Va., and an unheralded Osbourn Park High program. He did not start a game as a freshman in Navy's 24-8 season in 1983-84, but jumped the opening tap in the next 99 games, as Navy rolled to 82 wins and three NCAA Tournaments in those three campaigns.

Few players in any era dominated his opponents the way Robinson did.

In four years, Robinson sprouted eight inches and his court numbers swelled. He claimed a pair of national blocked shot titles, as well as a rebounding crown while scoring 2,669 points in his career, the 21st most in NCAA history. Over his final three years, Robinson scored 2,455 points, averaging 24.8 ppg from his sophomore to his senior season.

During his time at Navy, Robinson surpassed the 30-point barrier 30 times, including a remarkable 50 points in his final collegiate game, a 97-82 NCAA first-round NCAA Tournament loss to Michigan. The 50 points still ranks as the sixth-best scoring output in an NCAA Tournament game and is the most in an NCAA Tournament game since 1971.

In addition, Robinson still holds the NCAA record for double-doubles in a season with the 31 he recorded in the 1986 campaign.

Before Robinson, no player in NCAA history had scored 2,500 points, grabbed 1,300 rebounds (1,314) and shot better than 60 percent from the field (.613).

Robinson added to his basketball accolades when he became the only American basketball player to play and win three Olympic Games, participating in the 1988, 1992 and 1996 Olympic Games, being a member of the original "Dream Team" in 1992. A perennial All-Star, Robinson led the San Antonio Spurs to the 1999 and 2003 NBA titles.

Robinson's lore continued to grow in the NBA, where he was named the league MVP in 1995, Defensive Player of the Year in 1992 and Rookie of the Year in 1990. He and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar are the only two players to lead the league in scoring, rebounding and blocked shots, and Robinson is the only player in NBA history to be named to the All-NBA team as well as the All-Defensive team in each of his first seven years. Lastly, he was named one of the NBA's 50 Greatest Players of All-Time.

The 1987 College Player of the Year still owns 30 different school records at Navy, and was the first overall pick in the 1987 NBA Draft.

Robinson will not only be remembered for his outstanding accomplishments throughout his NBA career, but also for his contributions in his community.

In recognition of his outstanding contributions to charity, in March 2003, the NBA renamed its award for outstanding charitable efforts in honor of Robinson. Winners of the NBA's Community Assist Award receive the David Robinson Plaque, with the inscription "Following the standard set by NBA Legend David Robinson who improved the community piece by piece." The award is given out monthly by the league to recognize players for their charitable efforts.

In April 2009, Robinson was honored by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as the recipient of the Human Spirit Award, given annually to individuals who have found the game of basketball a contributing aspect to their personal growth and accomplishment, a place to develop an understanding of others and an avenue that helped shape that individual's growth into a recognized visionary leader in the greater community in which they serve.

Robinson's Honors (College & Pro)
 Two-time All-American (1986, 1987)
 John R. Wooden Award (1987)
 Naismith College Player of the Year (1987)
 United States Basketball Writers Association College Player of the Year (1987)
 NBA Rookie of the Year (1990)
 NBA All-Rookie First Team (1990)
 10-time NBA All-Star
 Four-time All-NBA First-Team selection
 NBA Defensive Player of the Year (1992)
 NBA Most Valuable Player (1995)
 Two-time NBA Champion (1999, 2003)
 Three-time Olympian (bronze in 1988; gold in 1992 and 1996)
 Only player in NBA history to win the rebounding, blocked shots, and scoring titles and Rookie of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and MVP honors
 NBA Sportsmanship Award (2001)
 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year (2003)
 Named one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history (1996)
 Winner of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame's Human Spirit Award (2008)
 Inducted into Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (2009)